I travelled across India and abroad,and took up residencies at museums and costume history departments to research for the book, said designer Wendell Rodricks at the launch of his book Moda Goa: History and Style (Harper Collins,Rs 3,999). The event took place at The Taj Mahal Hotel,Delhi,on Wednesday.

The book,launched by Sunil Sethi,president,Fashion Design Council of India,comprises 240 pages that explore Goa through its costume heritage.

It gives details of the drapes worn by the Buddhists and the elaborate Hindu costumes,and touches upon the heavy brocade garments of the Tughlaqs,as well as the influence of the Portuguese who had brought in Renaissance clothing to Goa.

Dressed in a black kurta-churidar with a short black jacket and an old gold brooch,Rodricks recalled how he had spent 11 years working on Moda Goa. I told myself that I would spend three hours every day researching for this book and thats what I did, he said.

When we think of fashion,we associate it with the ramp and gorgeous bodies,we never think of research and history. Rodricks book goes back in time to locate the source of what we call contemporary fashion, said Karthika VK,Publisher and Chief Editor at HarperCollins. Among those who attended were art curator Alka Pande and politician Jaya Jaitly,founder,Dastkari Haat Samiti.